Head of Crew Training

Metrea; Moreno Valley (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical plan options

HSA/FSA accounts

Dental and vision coverage

6% employer 401(k) match

Fully paid parental leave

Generous PTO

Life and disability insurance

Job summary

Metrea is seeking a Head of Crew Training to lead recruitment, training, and standardization of aircrew for compliant and safe Part 137 AFF operations. You will ensure pilots and flight crew are properly selected, trained, current, and competent to operate across AFF missions, coordinating with partners and regulatory bodies as needed.

Reporting to the Head of Aerial Firefighting Operations, you will manage training resources, LMS, and records; drive continuous improvement; and support

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aviation, Aviation Management, Education, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent operational aviation leadership experience.
• Commercial Aircraft Multi-Engine Land Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating and required type ratings for PIC/Standardization Captain in DHC8-300
• Minimum five years of aviation leadership experience including at least two in flight crew training, standardization, or operational leadership

Responsibilities

• Lead the aircrew lifecycle: recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, qualification, standardization, and development of pilots and other flight crew.
• Establish and continuously improve aircrew qualification standards, training syllabi, evaluation criteria, and standardization programs.
• Recruit, develop, and oversee the standardization cadre ensuring consistent application of training and standards.
• Manage enterprise training resources, records, LMS, simulators, aircraft, and training assets for operational readiness.
• Monitor and evaluate training effectiveness via assessments, audits, feedback, trends, and metrics; drive continuous improvement.
• Promote Safety Management System (SMS) principles across all training activities and risk management.
• Lead testing, evaluation, and development for new aircraft capabilities and mission systems; integrate into training and standardization.
• Coordinate across Flight Operations, Safety, Compliance, Security, Maintenance, and other groups to ensure aircrew readiness and alignment.

Skills

Aircrew management

Recruitment & training

Qualification standards

Safety & SMS

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

LMS proficiency

Flight operations coordination

Education

Aviation bachelor’s degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Company Overview

Metrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas. These include airborne ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refueling, special air missions, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation. We own the whole stack: designing, building, and operating turnkey capabilities that give our partners decisive, asymmetric advantage against rapidly evolving threats.

Our operating model is built around three interlocking pillars. The Support Groups provide a global shared-service – spanning people, finance, platform, operations, legal, and engagement. This frees up our Core Groups, who develop and own mission capabilities end-to-end, to focus entirely on delivery. The Market Groups apply a regional lens, ensuring that our agile and adaptable capabilities remain aligned to the wicked problems that matter most to our partners across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.

At the heart of our model is a simple but powerful idea: be a true partner with skin in the game. Our partners need effects, not just equipment. By owning the full stack – from the lab to the field – we are able to drive a continuous cycle of innovation that keeps our partners ahead. It's a fast-moving, intellectually demanding environment where talented people are given real responsibility, work on problems that matter, and contribute to an enterprise that is growing quickly and deliberately.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, with facilities across the United States, the United Kingdom, as well as Continental Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Group Overview

Special Air Missions Group - US (SAM - US)is responsible fordeveloping and deliveringMetrea’sISR, Special Mobility, and Aerial Firefighting (AFF) capabilities. SAM US oversees the integration of new mission systems, ensuring operational readiness across specialized aviation operations. It manages fleet maintenance, regulatory compliance, and strategic partnerships to enhance mission effectiveness. Byconsolidatingexpertiseand infrastructure, SAM - US ensuresMetrea’sairborne capabilitiesremainadaptable and mission-ready across dynamic operational environments.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Head of Aerial Firefighting Operations, the Head of Crew Training is responsible for the development, recruitment, selection, qualification, standardization, and continuous improvement of the organization's flight crew training system in support of compliant, safe, reliable, effective, efficient, and evolvable CSRE flight operations.

Within the Metrea Management System, the Head of Crew Training fulfills the role comparable to an AFF Chief Pilot, an EASA Nominated Person for Crew Training, and a CASA Head of Training and Checking. This role is responsible for ensuring pilots, Airborne Mission Operators/Coordinators, and other assigned flight crew members are properly selected, trained, qualified, current, and competent to safely execute Part 137 AFF Operations wherever that standard is accepted by the National Aviation Authority (NAA). It may also be necessary to support third party operators or partners in the execution of their operational approvals e.g. CAR702 in Canada.

The Head of Crew Training leads aircrew recruitment, training, qualification, and standardization programs, manages training resources and records, and ensures training programs remain aligned with regulatory requirements, operational risk, mission requirements, and emerging operational capabilities. The role also supports operational test and evaluation, mission system integration, and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) development to ensure new capabilities are effectively transitioned into operational service.

What You'll Do

• Lead the aircrew lifecycle, including recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, qualification, standardization, and professional development of pilots, Airborne Sensor Operators, and other assigned flight crew members


• Establish, implement, and continuously improve aircrew qualification standards, training syllabi, evaluation criteria, and standardization programs that support compliant, safe, reliable, effective, efficient, and evolvable CSRE flight operations


• Recruit, develop, and oversee the standardization cadre, ensuring consistent application of training and operational standards and TTP across the organization


• Manage enterprise training resources, qualification records, learning management systems, simulators, training aircraft, and other training assets to support operational readiness


• Monitor and evaluate training effectiveness through assessments, audits, operational feedback, qualification trends, and performance metrics, implementing continuous improvement initiatives where appropriate


• Promote Safety Management System (SMS) principles and operational risk management throughout all training activities, ensuring training reflects current operational procedures, hazards, and risk mitigation


• Lead operational test and evaluation, developmental testing, validation, verification, and TTP development for new aircraft capabilities, mission systems, sensors, and operational concepts, ensuring new capabilities are effectively integrated into operational training and standardization


• Coordinate Flight Operations, Safety, Compliance, Security, Maintenance, the Continuous Airworthiness Management Organization, the Aerospace Engineering Group, the People Group, and operational leadership to ensure aircrew readiness, workforce planning, and training programs remain aligned with organizational priorities and operational requirements. This applies to both Metrea as well as appropriate partner or third party organizations

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Aviation, Aviation Management, Education, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent operational aviation leadership experience


• Commercial Aircraft Multi-Engine Land Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating, appropriate aircraft type ratings, and qualifications required to serve as a Pilot-in-Command and Standardization Captain in DHC8-300 aircraft


• Minimum five years of aviation leadership experience, including at least two years in flight crew training, standardization, or operational leadership


• Demonstrated experience leading aerial firefighting crew recruitment, selection, qualification, instructor development, and enterprise training programs


• Practical experience applying aviation safety standards, Safety Management Systems (SMS), and operational risk management principles


• Comprehensive knowledge of applicable FAA, US Wildland Fire Service and other AFF regulatory requirements governing flight operations and crew training


• Experience supporting operational test and evaluation, flight test, mission system integration, or development of operational TTPs preferred


• Strong leadership, organizational, strategic thinking, communication, and workforce development skills


• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Learning Management Systems (LMS), and training management software


• Ability to deploy in support of operations, training, standardization, evaluations, and test activities

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical plan options


• HSA/FSA accounts


• Dental and vision coverage


• 6% employer 401(k) match


• Fully paid parental leave for all new parents


• Generous PTO


• Life and disability insurance Long-term and Short-term disability coverage


• AD&D Coverage


• Pet Insurance


• Employee Assistance Program


• Subsided gym membership / plans throughWellhub

Work Authorization / Security Clearance

• Applicant must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must be a U.S. citizen


• Current U.S. Passport

AAP/EEO Statement

This Companyis an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race,color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteranstatus,or other characteristics protected by law.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time exempt position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may changein accordance with support to deployed fire season rosters, department and business needs. Exempt Employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require.

Work Environment

This joboperateswithin a combination of office, hangar, and deployed settings.

Travel

50%

Base Pay Range

The compensation range shown below is a good faith estimate and reflects the expected base pay for this position upon hire. This is just one component of Metrea's overall approach to total rewards and final compensation decisions, including the ultimate salary or hourly rate agreed upon, may vary depending on factors such as job location, job-specific knowledge, skills, experience, and the overall negotiated compensation package. Eligible full-time employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package designed to support their health, wellbeing, and long-term success.

Pay Range: $250,000 USD - $275,000 USD

Our Firmware

At Metrea, our single core value is Rooted in Humility, and our four cornerstone attributes are Entrepreneurial, Systematic, Discerning, and Over-Deliver. These form what we call our Teammate Firmware. Just like technical firmware connects software and hardware, our Firmware is the constant interface between our mission and our people. It defines how we show up, how we work together, and how we solve complex problems. Our team Firmware creates a web-like, hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical way of working that helps us adapt quickly, communicate openly, and distribute decision-making to where expertise actually lives. It enables groups to self-organize around hard problems, shift fluidly as priorities evolve, and operate with the trust, curiosity, and discipline required in a complex mission space. This foundation allows us to deliver elegant, effective solutions and uphold our purpose: protecting our precious inheritance.